Stories of TriMet employees going the extra mile to make a difference in our community—and beyond.
During her lunch hour, Jennifer Lyman, a TriMet engineer, is talking to a school principal to make sure a student gets on the basketball team. She then calls a counselor to check in on a 15-year-old girl. She sneaks in one more quick call to a social worker get an update on the welfare of a three year old before heading back to work certifying property TriMet needs to build the new Portland Milwaukie MAX line. It’s all in a day’s work for this busy TriMet employee and volunteer for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates).
As a CASA volunteer, Jennifer’s job is ensuring that each child’s need for a safe, permanent home is met in a timely manner. “Basically, I keep the ball from getting dropped,” she says. As a CASA, Jennifer visits each child on a monthly basis, talks with numerous people involved in the children’s lives and provides written recommendations to the judge overseeing the children’s case.
Jennifer has volunteered with CASA for two years. “My focus on child welfare likely began with my mom,” says Jennifer. “I was an only child, but grew up with babies in my home because my mom provided foster care for infants.”
“During training, I thought, ‘I can’t do this.’ But the realization that these kids have no choice in having such tough lives kept me going.” —Jennifer Lyman“In many cases, the CASA is the one person these children have to steadily take a stand for them in the child welfare system.” This is one of the reasons why the minimum required volunteer commitment is two years and includes considerable training.
As for how she weaves this responsibility into her daily work at TriMet, Jennifer says, “Talking to social workers and counselors is like learning a whole new language from the engineer talk I am used to using. Being a CASA volunteer is not easy but it is worth it. I know I am making a difference in the lives of these children."
